Stronger than Time
by Friendsfan
Summary: As Rory's graduation looms, Lorelai is getting prouder by the moment of her daughter. But will someone of Lorelai's past feel the same way?***FINAL CHAPTER IS UP!! R/R! Hope u liked it!!***
1. Default Chapter

"Rory, sweetie? Bring the munchies in, okay?" Lorelai called out to her. Rory arrived, with two big bags of chips, pop, and a large cheese pizza. "My survival food," Lorelai grinned, taking a bite of pizza. Rory laughed at her mom. It was amazing how they stayed so skinny with eating all of this junk. During Beaches, Rory started to get tired and snuggled up against Lorelai. Lorelai put her arm around her ,kissed her on the forhead, and realised not for the first time that Rory was graduating tomorrow. Her baby girl.. all grown up. Lorelai could think to the first time she brought Rory into Luke's diner. Tears came down her cheeks as she self-consiously started to sniffle. "Mom? What's wrong?" "You're.. you're graduating tomorrow!" Lorelai said desolatly. "Awe, Mom..," Rory affectionatly said, laughing a little to herself.  
  
When the movie was over, Rory hugged Lorelai and went to herself. Lorelai made herself a cup of coffee, sitting deep in thought, then finished and went to her bedroom to go to sleep also. "Hey sweets," Lorelai said as Rory came into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes in her PJ's. "Coffee.." Rory said, holding out her cup. Lorelai laughed. Like mother, like daughter. "You know babe, you don't have to go to school today. We can stay home, hang out, and then go to the ceromony." "As much as I'd like that mom, I kinda want to go to school.. I mean, it's the last time I'm going to step in that school again. Thanks though." She kissed Lorelai on the cheek. After drinking her coffee, Rory ran to get dressed. The school bus honked, and Rory ran out the door. Lorelai called out to her. "I'll pick you up after school, okay?" Rory nodded as she boarded the bus.  
  
The next morning as Lorelai entered work, Sookie bombarded her with questions. "Where will we sit? Are Emily and Richard coming? Is she excited??" "Front row, of course Sook, and yeah she's excited but she's also a bit scared. She's actually finishing, and I'm so proud of her. All I wanted was for her to graduate, now I kinda wish I did." Sookie gave Lorelai an affectionate smile, and they both went back to work.  
  
Rory listened for the last time to her English teacher. They weren't really doing anything, but Ms.Brown was just suggesting some books for summer reading. Suddenly an announcement came onto the speakerphone. "Can Rory Gilmore please come to the office with her books?" She got permission and whispered to Paris, "See you tonight!" Rory went to the office, and saw Chris. "Dad?"  
  
"It's me," Chris said. Rory hugged him. "What.. what are you doing here so early?" "Well Lor said that I could pick you up a bit early cause I haven't seen you in awhile. Why don't we get some coffee and I'll drop you at home before the ceremony so you can get ready." Rory nodded as Chris took her bag. They got into the car and started to drive. After it had been half an hour, and two coffeeshops past, Rory started to get a bit wary. "Um, Dad.. where are we going?" Chris replied casually, "This shop that's really close to here. I go here on my way to work, you'll love it." But as they kept driving, Rory got this seemingly scary vibe.  
  
Smiling to herself, Lorelai got out of the car and went to the school to wait for Rory. The kids started pouring out, but Rory never showed up. Half an hour later, when the last kid had gone, Lorelai started to get worried. She got her cell phone out. "Luke?" "Lor? What is it?" "Rory's not at school, do you know where she is?" "Maybe she went to Paris's house. Listen, the ceromony is about to start. Come here and I'm sure she'll be here when you arrive. See you soon, okay?"  
  
When she got there, Lorelai hurried over to Luke. He shook his head worridly. "What?" Lorelai said. "Are you meaning to tell me that she didn't show up?" He shook his head again. "Luke, I'm starting to get worried." Lorelai said. Luke pulled her into a hug, and they just stayed like that. None of them wanted to believe anything was wrong, just yet. They would wait a few more minutes and see what came out of this. 


	2. Ch2

The ceremony had started and Lorelai was frantically getting worried, her eyes searching over all of the kids, trying to find Rory. She would never miss her graduation, something terrible must have happened to her. Rory's name was called as no-one came up. Lorelai gulped, ran down the aisle, grabbed Rory's diploma, and started to run to her car. Sookie and Lane gave each other worried looks as they, including Luke, ran up to her. "Lorelali, honey, what's wrong?" Sookie asked her. "Where's Rory?" "I'm not sure," Lorelai replied helplessly. "But something must be wrong.. she'd never miss her own graduation." Lane drew in a breath. This couldn't be happening. Her best friend couldn't be.. missing?  
  
Back in the car, Chris stopped to get some gas. "We'll be there soon," he assured her. Rory glanced nervously at her watch. The ceremony had already began to start. She pulled out her cell phone and started to call her mom.  
  
Chris ran out from the gas station store and roughly pulled the cell phone away from her. Rory shrank back, terrified and confused. Then with sudden realization, she knew what he was doing. He was going to kidnap her, and Rory was going to miss her graduation. As she was forced in the car, silent tears ran down her cheeks, as she prayed for her mom to somehow find and help her.  
  
Back in Stars Hollow, Lorelai paced back and forth. "What do I do?" Gravely, Luke replied, "Lor, you have to phone the police. It's the only way." Lorelai bit her lip. Lane nodded. "He's right Lor. You're probably not going to find her any other way. You know you could never live if you lost Rory. Neither could I."  
  
Sookie nodded as she hugged Lorelai close to her. She handed her the phone, and they all waited nervously as Lorelai phoned the police. "Yes, hello? My daughter's been kidnapped. I don't know where she is! Why would I be calling then? Do I know who did it? N- ." She stopped in sudden realization. Her face turned pale. Chris. Oh god. "Actually, I've got an idea of who. It might be my ex-husband." Luke's mouth gaped open, as Lorelai shut it with her hand, grabbed his hand, and ran to her car with Sookie and Lane following. They were going to go to the police station.  
  
"Well?" Lorelai said impatiently. "Can you find her?" "It might be more complicated than that miss. This could take days, weeks.. even months." The police officer told her. Months.. no, no.. not months. Can you try seconds? Minutes even? I've got to get my baby girl back. Lorelai closed her eyes in grief, as Luke hugged Lorelai and Sookie hugged Lane, who was looking pretty shaken up as well. Lorelai handed her a recent picture of Rory and that was all she could do. Luke supported Lorelai on her way back to the car because she was shaking so hard. In the car, Lorelai leaned on the steering wheel and sobbed. She had to get Rory back; it wasn't even a question. But the only thing left was time, and Lorelai wasn't a very patient person. "We have to get her back." She said desperatly. "We will get her back. Let's go back home and if she does get a chance, she'll try and call us." 


	3. Ch3

They kept driving, and it was getting darker and darker. The car was silent, Rory had figured out what Chris was doing and was too scared to speak to him. All she wanted was to be home, in her nice cozy bed, with Lorelai.  
  
"Do you want to stop and get something to eat?" Chris asked. Rory shook her head. Her stomach felt weak. "Well, we're stopping," Chris replied. "I need something."  
  
"They stopped at a Knight-and-day restaurant, where Chris ordered dinner. Rory was still quiet, until she couldn't hold it in any longer.  
  
"Why are you doing this? All I want is to go home. You can't kidnap me, Dad, at least tell me why." Rory was on the verge of tears. Worry and sickness as well.  
  
After all the things I've missed, Rory. You getting your application to Yale, your graduation, even your special bond with your mom. And I think this is a good chance to get away from it all."  
  
Rory felt like spitting on him. "Luke has been more of a father to me than you have." Chris roughly grabbed her arm, left some money on the table, and dragged Rory to the car. "You be quiet now, or I'll have to force you to be quiet. You don't want that, do you?" Rory sat sullenly in the drivers seat and wondered how much more this would last.  
  
Lorelai sat on the rugged couch that she and Rory owned, her fingers interwined with Luke's. Lorelai's face was pale, Lane's was tearstained, Luke's and Sookie's were still stunned. Chris.. why Chris? Luke absintmindley turned on the television, and saw a news report.  
  
"Rumor has it that Rory Gilmore, granddaughter of Emily and Richard Gilmore, daughter of Lorelai Gilmore, has been kidnapped by her own father. If anyone has seen her, please phone this number.. her family is very worried." Lane bit her finger and looked worridly at Lorelai. Sure enough, she ran out of the room, crying. She was on and off in her crying spasms. Sookie gently went into Lorelai's room and sat down on the bed with her.  
  
"What if we don't find her, Sookie? What if she..what if she's dead?" Lorelai managed to get those last two words out before collapsing on her bed again. Sookie rubbed Lorelai's back. "Chris wouldn't kill her, at least, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't. Lor, look at me." Lorelai reluctantly faced her. "Listen, we are going to get her back okay? No matter how hard it is, how many pictures we have to put around town, she is going to be back with us. I promise you." Lorelai hugged Sookie tightly. "We'd better, she's my everything, Sook. She's why I'm alive."  
  
In the car, Rory was getting more and more antagonated. "Where are you taking me?" "Somewhere where no-one will find you," Chris casually replied, as he pulled into an abonded warehouse practically in the middle of nowhere. He shoved her in. "I'll be back in the morning. Remember, Rory, no crying. Crying is for babies." "Go away," Rory said. She was too tired, to weak, to argue with her father. Where was she? Was she really far away from home?  
  
She closed her eyes, and immediately recalled the birthday morning her mom crept into her room. "Happy Birthday, little girl."  
  
Rory smiled as she remembered her mom snuggling in bed with her.  
  
"I can't believe how fast you're growing up."  
  
Rory recalled saying, "It doesn't seem that fast"  
  
"You know what I think? I think you're a great, cool kid, and the best friend a girl could have."  
  
Rory felt tears slide down her cheeks as she thought of her best friend, her mom, sitting on her bed, probably crying her eyes out, worrying about her.  
  
Another memory came to her head. Later that day, at Rory's birthday dinner, Lorelai had proposed a toast to her.  
  
"I would like to propose a toast to the one thing in my life that is always good, always sweet, and whom I would have no reason to get up in the morning. My pal Rory."  
  
Rory longed to have her mom's arms around her, hugging her, telling her everything was going to be alright. She wanted the warmth of her mother, and as all the stress of her day unfolded, she sobbed herself to sleep.  
  
Lorelai walked Sookie and Lane to the door. She hugged them both goodbye, and whispered in Lane's ear: "She'll be alright, sweetie. We'll find her." Lane nodded as they both promised they would come back to her house in the morning.  
Luke lingered in the house for a bit. Lorelai got a bit weepy again as she hugged Luke tightly. "See you tomorrow, Luke, thanks for everything." "Lor? You know we'll find her, right?" "Yeah, yeah, I know." Lorelai softly replied.  
  
Climbing into her bed, Lorelai cried to herself, never thinking about anything else aside of Rory. After an hour, she still couldn't sleep, so she walked into Rory's bed and tried to sleep then. 


	4. Ch 4Happy Graduation

(A/N-sorry for all the time inbetween chapters. I only have the internet at my dad's so I can only post a few times every other week.Thanks for being patient, and R/R!! :D )  
  
The next morning, Luke lingered a bit on Lorelai's doorsteps before ringing the doorbell.Lorelai answered it and let him in.The mood was a bit softer, more serious. Luke poured more coffee into Lorelai's cup, and she smiled greatfully at him. Luke squeezed her hand, and kept holding it. Lorelai held the portable phone in her hand.  
  
"Lor? How long have you been holding or near that cell phone?" Lorelai sighed a long sigh. "All night," she admitted. Luke grinned a bit. That was sure Lorelai, all right. The doorbell rang and Luke went to answer it. It was Lane, but a Lane that seemed to be braindead, tired, and upset.  
  
"Heard anything yet?" she asked Luke as she followed him into the kitchen. God, it felt so weird to be here without Rory.  
  
"Nope," Luke said disappointingly. Lane sighed as she sat down next to Lorelai. Lorelai pulled her into a reasurring hug. "I'm still waiting,too Lane. We all are."  
  
Suddenly, the phone rang. Lorelai held her breath, and let it ring for two counts before she picked it up. "" Hello?" "Miss Gilmore?" "Yes?" "This is Constable Jones from the RCMP. Some campers were hiking along that route and came across your daughter. Another officer has gone to get her to take her back to our office. It's off of 119th and Broadway."  
  
"I'll come, thank you officer," she breathlessly said. Hugging Lane and swirling Luke around, Lorelai finally came to a complete stop. After two unbearable hours, her baby girl was coming home. Lorelai bumped into Luke, as they gazed into each-others eyes.  
  
"Do you guys want to come and get Rory with me?" Loreali said, breaking Luke's eye contact. "We'll see her when she get's back," Lane said,smiling. "You be with her right now, though."  
  
Back in the car, Rory shivered as she pulled up the blanket the officer had given her closer to her neck. For some reason she couldn't stop shaking. Maybe it had been all the terrible stress that Chris had bestowed upon her. The police had found him a short while later and he had been taken to one of the cells upstairs.  
  
Rory couldn't wait to see Lorelai, to have her protective arms around her. To feel that love and comfort that she had been waiting for for two days. Besides, she was hungry, and all she wanted to do was to curl up with Lorelai on her with a hot chocolate and a pizza. She wanted to sleep for eternity, and not worry about anything anymore. She wanted to see all the people she cared about-Lane, Luke, Sookie and Paris.  
  
The door opened and Lorelai came in, breathless from running up the stairs. For a second neither of them moved, then Rory rushed into Lorelai's arms, both of them sniffling. They stood there for what seemed like forever. Rory felt Lorelai shuddering from tears, and she hugged her tigher. Finally she was going home.  
  
In the car, Lorelai pulled out a black garbage bag. Rory tried not to laugh. "Mom, what's that?" "Open up and see," Lorelai replied softly. Rory opened it and found her cap, gown, and diploma. She sighed in relief and brushed a few tears from her cheek. So she hadn't missed it after all.  
Lorelai kissed Rory on the forehead. "Happy graduation, sweetie." 


End file.
